Casablanca – The Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Ghita Mezzour, highlighted Morocco’s significant potential to attract foreign investments in the digital sector, attributing it to the country’s highly skilled workforce, supportive government policies, and robust digital infrastructure.

During a session in the House of Councillors, Mezzour emphasized the ministry’s ongoing efforts to promote Morocco as a prime digital destination. She pointed to the success of the second edition of the “GITEX” exhibition, which drew considerable interest from startups, investors, governments, tech giants, and visitors from over 130 countries.

To further this goal, Morocco actively participates in international exhibitions and events, which has led to a partnership for establishing a research and development center. This center, in collaboration with one of the world’s leading technology companies, will employ 1,000 young people and focus on developing cutting-edge digital technologies, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.

Additionally, during the “GITEX” exhibition, the announcement was made to establish two large cloud service centers in Casablanca and Settat with a total investment of approximately $144 million. These centers will facilitate data storage within Morocco, providing significant digital services at reduced costs and effort.

The minister also mentioned a collaboration with the Mohammed VI Investment Fund and the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion to attract foreign investments in Moroccan startups, with a funding initiative worth around $155 million.

Highlighting the importance of digital startups, Mezzour noted the government’s commitment to fostering local digital solutions and creating job opportunities for young people. She remarked on Morocco’s rapid advancement in this field, moving from the 16th to the 5th position in Africa within a year, marking a growth of over 250%.

Addressing the increase in positions for people with disabilities, Mezzour said that in 2022, a unified competition was organized to recruit 200 positions in public administrations, followed by 400 positions in 2024. Measures were implemented to digitize the application process and establish regional centers to prevent candidates from needing to travel to Rabat. Disability experts were also involved in providing guidance and support, ensuring candidates could easily access the examination locations.

Regarding the administrators’ demands, the minister referred to the April 29, 2024 agreement, which includes a net salary increase of approximately $103, distributed in two installments—one in July 2024 and another in July 2025. Additionally, a revision of the income tax will result in a further increase of about $41 starting in January 2025.

Mezzour reiterated the government’s awareness of the administrators’ significant roles across various sectors and assured that social dialogue continues to address their concerns.